Ngl I hit 200 chain replacements in my garage this year and that number shocked me

Honestly I started keeping a log just out of boredom back in January. I do repairs for friends and neighbors for cheap. But when I counted up last week I realized I've swapped out 200 chains on different bikes in 10 months. That's like 5 chains a week on average. Most of them were just worn out from people not lubing them. One guy had a chain so stretched it was skipping on a brand new cassette. Anyway just curious how many chain swaps do you all do in a year?

2 comments

2 Comments

marywells7d agoMost Upvoted

But that number is actually lower than what a lot of shop mechanics do in a season, some guys will hit 300 plus easy by December. The real trick is knowing when a chain is actually worn versus just dirty and noisy, most people toss them way too early. Do you use a chain checker tool or are you just going by feel?

white.grant7d ago

Last week I had a guy roll up on a 90s mountain bike with a chain that was so loose it was actually dragging on the ground. He said it felt "a little sluggish." I told him @marywells is right about the sound thing, that bike was screaming for help. I use a chain checker on anything newer than 2005 but on those old beaters I just grab a link and yank, if it lifts off the ring more than a tooth it's done.